By Frank Farber

Special to AllThingsCruise

Another wonderful day beginning with breakfast. By the way, there are alarm clocks in the room for which you do not need an electronics degree or a child to show you how to use. You need them because activities start early and on scheduled time.

We went on a trip to the Kinderdijk windmills — there are 19 of them. After a short scenic drive — and one truly admires the skills of the drivers as they navigate big buses on narrow, winding streets — we arrived at Kinderdijk. There you can see a short film on the history of the windmills in the area, tour a windmill by climbing narrow steps almost to the top, take a canal cruise through the area or visit a reasonably priced coffeeshop/souvenir store.

Later we spent time on the Sun Deck as the AMADolce cruised. People were water skiing, swimming, and picnicking on the banks of the river. The hot tub on the deck was in use and Nancy and I played a game of chess with the large, heavy pieces. Others relaxed in the warm sun.

Tonight was the Captain’s Farewell Dinner and Nancy and I had received an invitation to dine with Captain Miertschin. We learned that Val and Piers, our friends from Wales, had also been invited. Kate Barella, the Cruise Manger par excellence, told us to wait after the cocktail party and she would escort us to the table. Sue from England and Linda from Houston, Texas — who we had previously met — also joined us. But four people were missing. Turns out they thought their invitations were generic, relating to the overall dinner. Stanley and Lanita from Israel and Alice and Paul and our companions from earlier were rounded up and we sat down to a marvelous dinner with the Captain and Kate.

Cocktails, wine, delicious food and entertaining conversation made the evening go too fast. Following dinner, entertainment in the lounge was provided by Rolf, an extremely talented singer.

Tomorrow is a very early day as we go to visit the famous gardens at Keukenhof.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

By Frank Farber

Special to AllThingsCruise

Today was a very busy day. We started with a bus tour of Ghent, passing by the building where the treaty to end the War of 1812 was signed. Christa, our knowledgeable guide for the day, led us on a walking tour through the meandering streets of the old part of town. We walked past houses built into the canals a la Venice. The city hall was unique. Part Gothic, part Greek due to the architectural disagreements of the city councillors of old. As we walked past the city hall we saw a newlywed couple emerge for pictures.

The main cathedral in town is quite beautiful and features a huge painting by Jan van Eyck from the 15th century. After some brief free time we returned to the buses for a pleasant 40-minute ride to Bruges.

Bruges is amazingly beautiful. You enter through lush gardens and canals and move toward the UNESCO designated cultural city. Passing a hospital built in the 11th century, you come across the Street of Chocolate where every other store seems to be a chocolate shop.

A short walk takes you to a church where a Michelangelo mother and child sculpture resides. As you move towards the huge belfry in the center of town, you realize that not only are you in a great historic and tourist area, but a vibrant living city. After we walked through the belfry area (and here again we came across another bride and groom) you enter a huge square. Surrounding the square are restaurants and a few shops. It’s time to stop and eat lunch, have a beer and peoplewatch. From our table on the square we enjoyed a pizza (so Belgian) and the local Bruges Zot beer. Delicious. Belgium has over 1,000 beers.

Snaking out from the square are numerous streets with stores, especially chocolate and lace, small restaurants and souvenir shops. At one of the small squares we came across a group of men playing bocce ball. We reunited with Christa and proceeded to take a leisurely half-hour canal cruise through the city. Tired but happy, we left Bruges and returned to the AMADolce at 6:45.

We had been on the go since 9 a.m. and we were hungry. Dinner was French and dessert was crepes suzette. Magnifique!

This evening there was a classical concert in the lounge which was very well received. It was a long but wonderful day.

Friday, May 6, 2011

By Frank Farber

Special to AllThingsCruise

Forgot to mention that Nancy and I were presented with an anniversary cake at dinner the other evening. We don’t know who sent it, but we are very appreciative. Thank you, thank you.

Frank Farber

Today we are in the land of Belgian waffles, chocolates, beer and diamonds. We had the waffles for breakfast and they were deliciously light and tasty. Wonderful. Bob — yes, that is his name — led us on a tour of Antwerp culminating in the Cathedral of Our Lady which houses three Reubens among its art works. All the tours are made easier by the use of a QuietVox. Everyone has their own receiver and earpiece. This way you don’t have to lean in and try to hear over others. The reception is excellent and enables you to stray a bit and still listen to your guide. Bob is an excellent storyteller and made the tour zip by.

After lunch we went on a brief tour to Diamondland. I told Nancy she could have waffles, chocolates, and beer. NO DIAMONDS. After Diamondland, which was interesting, we returned to the central square area of Antwerp to mosey in and out of the chocolate shops and buy some as gifts. Alex must have pushed the magic button because the weather was beautiful: sunny and warm in low 70′s.

Dinner featured rack of lamb and a Belgian chocolate dessert buffet. It was truly Death by Chocolate. Chocolate mousse, creme brulee, eclairs, chocolate waterfall with fruit just to name a few. Paul and Alice from Connecticut joined us for dinner and then in the lounge for the dessert buffet. It has been great fun getting to know more people and AMA’s system of non-reserved seating is a definite plus.

Tomorrow we arrive in Ghent for the morning and we will take the optional tour to Bruges in the afternoon.

May 5, 2011

By Frank Farber

Special to AllThingsCruise

First, a little housekeeping.

Thick terrycloth robes and slippers are provided in the cabins. Hot water comes right out — no waiting — and the showers are very nice, providing three levels of water height. For the men, the best shaving water I think I’ve ever dealt with.

There are no children on board. A wonderful adult cruise.

After breakfast we went on a morning tour of Arnhem. A major World War 2 battle was fought here and there is an excellent museum that we visited. There are interactive displays and as we are here at the time that the Netherlands was freed from German occupation, there were television interviews being conducted with survivors from that era along with Dutch celebrations and remembrances.

The drive to the museum was through lush green landscaping and the homes that we passed were extraordinarily kept, especially Oosterbeek with its flowering gardens.

The weather was a bit cool, about 51 degrees and although we had the opportunity to visit Arnhem in the afternoon, we passed. As Floridians it felt even colder. Alex, one of the waiters, told me he forgot to hit the warm button but would remember to do it for tomorrow. I hope so.

After dinner there was a 1960′s theme party in the lounge with some costuming and free rum punches. Following some games, the dance floor was crowded to the tunes of Elvis, the Beatles, and the Stones.

Everybody was involved.

Tomorrow is Antwerp: Belgian waffles and diamonds. Also, an optional trip to Brussels.

May 5, 2011

By Frank Farber

Special to AllThingsCruise

Aboard the AMADolce in the Netherlands — Had an absolutely wonderful breakfast. The dining room is intimate. Big picture windows line two sides and the view is at water level. A wide variety of breads and jams, eggs made to request, delicious pancakes, fresh fruits all made the morning meal a great wakeup.

We then went on a three-hour tour (not Gilligan’s) that began with an hour’s cruise thru Amsterdam’s canals. Jan, our guide, was witty with a dry sense of humor. Following the cruise he took us on a bus ride thru the city that went to the floating flower garden where all types of tulips, orchids, etc. and the usual souvenir shops attracted tourists.

We returned to the ship for lunch and, darn, the meals are good.

Afternoon was another tour. This one went to Volendam, which is a fishing village and tourist site, and Edam of cheese fame. Both towns were beautiful and in Edam we went to a cheese tasting and many passengers took home large cheese balls. As long as the wax cover remains on the cheese, we were told, it can be taken into the US. Jan was again our guide and he was excellent.

We arrived back at the ship just in time to get ready for another excellent dinner. Kari and Alan from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., joined our table and we exchanged experiences and stories. The no reserved seating policy gives guests the opportunity to meet new people and opens new vistas. German red and riesling wines were served with dinner that had Duck L’Orange as a main course.

After dinner we repaired to the main lounge where Matias played piano and my wife got everyone up to dance. We closed down the lounge and wearily went to bed.

May 4, 2011

By Frank Farber

Soecial to AllThingsCruise

Last September my wife and I were vacationing in the cruise hotbed of Orlando when I opened an e-mail apprising me that I had won a cruise. Having received more than my share of Nigerian letters, I was a bit skeptical. However, after exchanging e-mails with Cynthia Boal Janssens (editor of AllThingsCruise), that skepticism changed to WOW. I ordered the dvd from AMA Waterways, began to plan add-ons to the trip and finally spoke with Karen at AMA who could not have been more helpful. I began to see a friendly, caring, personal touch. (If I,not a paying customer was treated this well, how about the “real” guests?)

Frank Farber

My wife and I flew from Fort Lauderdale, spent two days in NYC with her brother, and then flew Newark-Montreal-Brussels. There we took the Thalys train to Amsterdam where we crashed in a hotel overnight before boarding the AMADolce yesterday, May 2.

Upon arrival at the dock we were greeted by staff in the most friendly way and as we checked in our luggage was whisked to our stateroom. Reception was personal and efficient. Our cabin is nicely appointed and is as comfortable as staterooms on the large cruise ships that we are used to.

We went to afternoon tea/snacks (a delicious pea soup was available) in the large forward lounge. We took a brief tour of the Sun Deck — a strong wind put the chill factor in the 40′s — before returning to our cabin to dress for the Welcome Aboard Cocktail and Captain’s Dinner.

Champagne, drinks, and hors d’oeuvres freely flowed as the captain introduced his staff and went over safety regulations in a witty and funny speech that was quite different from the usual. Our Cruise Director, Karen, filled us in on our itinerary and plans for the morrow. I have to say that rarely have I seen a crew as friendly and nice as we have experienced so far (we are on our 26th cruise). Smiles abound and they are not forced but genuine.

We sat with Val and Piers from Wales and then went to dinner with them. They recognized a dining steward from a Danube cruise and she served us. Food was presented well and tasted better. A cream of asparagus soup with strawberry was unique as well as getting a caesar salad with an actual anchovy in it. My wife’s sirloin steak was far better than she has had on large cruise ships and she loved the large platter of vegetables, which included turnips.. The chocolate mousse with a sugary glazed crust to hold it was soooo tasty. Service by Deanna friendly, efficient — excellent.

Wines, red or white, beer, and soda are complimentary with dinner. The wine flowed as Victor (introduced as director of bar operations but, as he told us “I’m the bartender”) repeatedly returned to fill empty or half empty glasses. The French merlot and the Austrian cabernet sauvignon were excellent and complemented the meals well.

We had a wonderful evening with Val and Piers and eagerly anticipate our first full day tomorrow.

Frank Farber of Pembroke Pines, Fla.,  “won” this AMAWaterways cruise in a contest conducted by AllThingsCruise last fall for its Facebook fans. Become our friend on Facebook at www.facebook.com/allthingscruise.

In September, frequent cruiser Frank Farber of Pembroke Pines, Fla., won an AMA Waterways river cruise from AllThingsCruise.com. It was a random drawing. His winner cruise review was for the Emerald Princess.

Last week, Mr. Farber sailed on HAL’s Eurodam and we invited him to submit his impressions. Here is his report:

By Frank Farber

AllThingsCruise Guest Reporter

Saturday morning and friends are dropping us off at Port Everglades. One of the great things about living in South Florida is easy access to the cruise ports. Also, friends taking you saves $15 a day in parking fees which  can be spent on more enjoyable things.
Our first view of the Eurodam at the pier was impressive and checking-in was a breeze. Three years prior I had worked a season for Holland America checking people in at the port and I chatted briefly with former co-workers.

Our room was not ready yet so we went to the Mariner Embarkation Brunch rather than brave the expected lines at the Lido buffet. After an excellent lunch,  we set out to explore the ship.

Frank Farber

The Eurodam is the first of HAL’s new signature ships — its sister Nieuw Amsterdam has just started sailing — and its largest. It is quite beautiful with darker wood hues and wider walkways. The shopping area on deck 3 center is very brightly lit giving a feel of spaciousness to the  usual shops-liquor, watches, souvenirs .
We went to the raffle at the spa hoping to  win something, but didn’t. Turnout was immense.  The gym area is huge with plenty of new machines to work out on. In fact, there was the smell of newness about it all. We did decide to buy the hydo-therapy package: special pool, hot stone loungers, separate steam and sauna rooms.
Dinner at 8 for us. Fixed sitting. Marcus our waiter was very friendly and helpful. Food was very good .My wife who usually does not like the beef on board had an excellent prime rib and my veal loin was very, very good. No charge for the cappuchinos we had with our desserts.
We then wondered into the bright casino where I watched my wife break even at a slot machine. We retired to our room and even though we had ordered a movie (free) from the ship’s very extensive collection to play on the in room DVD,  we were too tired to watch and went to bed.

Our first full day at sea

Sunday — a sea day.  Spent time at the hydro pool and relaxed on the stones. Great feeling of privacy as opposed to continuous rock music at the adult pool and children using the spas as kiddie pools in the family main pool.
Lunch at the Lido buffet is very slow moving. There are several different stations: Salads, deli, meats, desserts, international, drinks, etc.  It gets very congested as passengers try to look through those already in line to see what is available.  Certain foods constantly ran out and I gave up. It seems that HAL is trying to give the buffet line a more formal touch, but I would venture the real reason is to cut down on food wastage. However, a buffet meal should not take longer than a meal in the dining room.
Formal night and my bride was beautiful. After dinner we went to the Captains Welcome Toast  and show. There we learned our waiter Marcus was employee of the month, well deserved as far we can see. The opening show was well received. Both cast and audience were enthusiastic and the cast was talented also.
Tuesday we sailed into beautiful San Juan harbor. We debarked and walked past all the tour hawkers until driver Modesto offered 90 minutes plus for $8 per person. We had a good time, avoided the heat, and Modesto was funny and informative.
Wednesday was St. Thomas and we docked at Crown Point, which has loads of iguanas and minor shopping. We had hoped to dock at Havensight.  Wi-fi is available at Crown Point — $4 for the day.

Live entertainment was of very high quality
There is a very comfortable movie theater on board which shows recent films four times a day. Library is adequate (honor system prevails for checkout much of the time) and internet is expensive.
Saw another show that night: Joe Mason doing an Eagles concert. I have to say that the entertainment is much better than we are used to on cruises. HAL seems to have downsized its cruise staff — used to be many assistant cruise directors. Jason, the cruise director is everywhere, doing everything. He is personable, funny and good at his job.
Shows continue to be to be of high quality.  Mason did a special Elton John concert and the farewell show was also excellent. Food was very good and buffet lines got shorter. Friendliness and service from the staff was the usual  high HAL quality.
Our cruise ended and we had a great time. Debarkation was easy and we look forward to cruising again with Holland America.

Posted by Cynthia Boal Janssens

Editor, AllThingsCruise.com

By Emilie C. Harting

“I’ve seen pictures of river cruises where you can walk along the side while the boat is moving,” said my friend.

“What you actually want is a hotel barge.  Very often you can walk or bike along the side because the boat goes through canals, and there are often paths alongside.  On a river cruise you cannot.”

“But I like luxury,” he said.

I pointed out that hotel barging is different from river cruising, but is often just as luxurious.  The barge is a floating luxury hotel with a trained chef who cooks the meals, often relying on quality produce, fish and meats from markets along the way.  The cuisine is paired with fine wines and cheeses.

Hotel barges are much smaller.  While river cruises often have 100 passengers, the average hotel barge has eight to twelve.  Since there are many fewer people, and the water on canals is extremely calm, you hear the sounds of birds, the wind blowing the trees, and the tiny waves lapping along the side of the boat.   Most have minibuses that make daily excursions into villages, vineyards, castles, archeological sites, and artisans’ shops.

I told my friend to search the European Waterways site (Go Barging in the U.S.)  because the company travels to nine countries and has guided tours of castles, chateaux, Vineyards, and markets along the way.

The  Scottish Highlander cruises on the Caledonian River,  passes Lough Ness, the lake with the purported monster, and has a Scottish cuisine featuring salmon, game, and venison.  At certain times they have cruises focused on fishing and golf.

The largest vessel, La Bella Vita, begins with a tour of Venice and travels up the Venetian Lagoon and along the Bianca Canal to Lombardy, with stops at the Adria, an ancient archeological ­­­­­town, and Ferrera, a walled Renaissance city.

In England, the Magna Carta sails on the Thames with stops at Hampton Court, Windsor, and Henley,  and offers a number of themed trips: antiques, families with children, golf, and  English Christmas.

Francophiles often argue about which area of France is the most picturesque.  At various times in the spring, summer fall season, European Waterways hotel barges explore the Loire Valley, often called “The Garden of France” for its historic towns and vineyards.  The company has multiple barges operating in Upper and Lower Burgundy, the most popular barging area in the country.  In the southern Languedoc wine region several barges cruise on Canal du Midi, which is known for the  biking and walking.  There’s also a barge that cruises on the Canal Lateral à la Garonnein in the southwest.  Other trips go to Champagne, Provence, Paris, Alsace Lorraine, Northern France, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Holland, and Ireland.

Check out the enticing choices on www.gobarging.com and www.europeanwaterways.com, which has a number of photos and maps.    Historic Canals of Europe http://www.worldcanals.com/vev/uk/canaux.htm is helpful for understanding the routes and the canals.

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Our guest blogger who gave us this beautiful review of  French County Waterways is Emilie C. Harting.

Our week on the French Country Waterways barge Adrienne was certainly a serene vacation. “Trip of a Lifetime,” my husband Rob keeps saying in a soft, nostalgic voice.

Minutes after stepping off the dock in Cotillion and walking through the boat, I began to feel the tranquil rhythms of the barge on the water. Commodious and compact, the 129-foot Adrienne was completely rebuilt two years ago and has six suites for guests.

Upstairs there’s an ample front deck for lounging, a living room with puffy chairs and couches for reading and socializing, a dining room and a kitchen. Below our room had a large bed, a wall of closets with drawers and storage space, a state-of-the-art bathroom, and several small windows where we could peek up at the grassy shoreline as it passed by. One of the company’s five boats, it travels north and south from Cotillion to Nemours and back on the glass-like Briare Canal.

The barge started moving in the morning and docked before dark. Several times a day, when we were not eating, walking along the towpath, off on an excursion, or sleeping, I would plunk myself down in the lounge or deck and study our winding journey on a series of maps. We covered 80 miles during six days of cruising north, and passed through 43 locks. (Barging is distinctly different from river cruising. On a barge you can get off and walk or bike while the boat moves along the canal; on a river cruise you can only get off the boat when it is docked.)

It was not long before the crew seemed like our good friends. The skilled captain Mark, British, but a long-time French resident, was often at hand for short chats when he wasn’t steering the boat through a lock with only a few inches to spare, mopping a window, or making various arrival and departure times work. Remy, the French boatman, would acrobat off the roof and tend to the ropes when we approached toll stations. Ellie and Jessie, delightful young Englishwomen, helped out with details, cleaned our rooms, and gave lectures on the two French wines and three cheeses that accompanied lunch and dinner.  Since there was no assigned seating in the small dining area, the 12 of us got to know each other fairly quickly.

After a meal or two the consensus was that Paris-trained Cyril Bedu was a master of nouvelle French cuisine and a three-star chef. (They had credentials to judge: five had lived and worked in France for extended periods. Another was a native of Holland who was about to open his own restaurant in Switzerland.)  Cyril would emerge from the kitchen just before each meal to tell us about the dishes, pause briefly, and then bless the food with a “Bon Appétit. Voila!”

Among his specialties were salads, often with six or eight blends of fresh vegetables and herbs, dressed with olive oil and lemon; luncheon quiches with sautéed leeks, mushrooms, and a cheese from a different region each day; and light fricassees of vegetables. Cyril glazed roasts with sauces and cooked them in a rack over bubbling white wine. He baked herbed fish just to its tender point.  His dessert repertoire included pralined fruit blends laced with champagne and orange liqueur, fancily decorated cakes and succulent tortes. He prepared excellent vegetarian dishes for those of us who were not carnivores. Along the way Cyril would buy local produce, meat and herbs from favorite purveyors. One early riser says she saw a woman pull up alongside the barge on her bike to deliver fresh bread and pastry.

Each day we took an offshore trip in the van that accompanied the barge. There were jaunts to moated chateaus such as Fargeau, where we climbed through an ancient attic with a solid stone floor, and  Ladoucette, at Pouilly-Fumé, an area with some of the richest wine soils in the world.  Rolling hills of meticulously cultivated vineyards fold into each other in that area of the Upper Loire Valley. At La Bussiere, set on a lake, we strolled through vast gardens and visited a small fishing museum. At a factory in Gien we saw women painting ceramic dishes.

The last day we toured the hilly medieval village of Chateau-Landon by horse and carriage, and at one point looked over to a small waterway with flat stations of rock, like modern bus stops with overhangs, built so that village women of past centuries could walk down the steep hills to do their wash.

The evening we dined at  the Auberge des Templiers-Les Bezards, a restaurant  highly rated by Michelin, we had appetizers of foie gras, snails set in gelatin, entrees such as fish marinated in artichokes, filets of beef with garlic and duck fat, young wild duck with pointed cabbages, and, of course, cheeses of France. Desserts were soufflés,  tarts, fondues, and petits fours made by the restaurant’s chef. Though I enjoyed the surroundings and presentation, I was a bit overwhelmed by the heaviness of the meal. When we got back to the boat, the former French residents among us made a point to tell Cyril that his food was three-star, and we would have gotten better food on the boat.

Among my favorite memories of the trip are the rural landscapes. We would be floating along with forests on either side when around the bend a village with its pointed roofs would appear. Almost every lock had a toll house. All different, they were usually cottages with small flower and vegetable gardens. Some were unoccupied. Others had bikes and toys strewn about the yard. At the village of Montbuoy we walked over to excavated remains of locks dating back to the 1600s when most cargo was transported by barge. With grass growing up through the rocks, the older locks looked like a series of terraces leading up to the top of a hill.

Until the advent of railroads, the canal system was the main way of moving cargo. Horses and mules would pull the barge along. Now most of the barges on the canals, including the Briare Canal, built in 1896, are pleasure boats.

Through conversation, observation and reading, I came home knowing more about the techniques of nouvelle French cooking, and the pairing of wines and food, which is much more about lightness and heaviness and flavors and aromas than simply red for meat and white for fish.  I also gained a better sense of geography by learning which provinces produce certain wines and cheeses, and where rivers and canals appear on the map of France.

Most of all, I don’t think I’ll ever forget the tranquility of the countryside by day, and the stimulating conversations at dinner after darkness folded in around the boat.

French Country Waterways